Shichi-Go-San Children's Festival

The Jizo Matsuri and Shichi-Go-San (​地蔵まつり並びに七五三子供まつり) celebration services for children are celebrated annually in November. These special services are for children ages 7, 5, and 3 years old.

The celebration of the Shichi-Go-San originated many centuries ago in Japan as the ceremony for children when they become self-conscious and aware of life.

• At age 7 for girls, it is called the time of “obi musubi” (the tying of the obi sash).  The soft type of obi sash worn since the age of three, is replaced with the larger and firmer obi.
• For boys, the age of 5 is the celebration called “hakamasuke”.  This is the first time since birth he is allowed to wear the hakama pants and kimono like an adult man.
• For the 3 year old boys and girls the celebration is called “himonaoshi” which is when the child passes the stage of drinking milk from a bottle and the baby bib is no longer used.  Himo naoshi means instead of using the himo (strings) to tie the child’s kimono together, the himo (strings) are replaced with the soft type of obi sash.